Seating construction and method of manufacture

ABSTRACT

A SEATING CONSTRUCTION WHEREIN A PAIR OF CUSHION MEMBERS ARE DISPOSED IN FACING RELATION, AT LEAST ONE SUCH MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF RECESSES FORMED IN ITS FACING SURFACE, AND IMPERMEABLE SKINS IN CONFORMING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FACING SURFACES OF THE CUSHION MEMBERS AND ADHESIVELY SECURED TOGETHER, SO THAT SEALED CHAMBERS ARE DEFINED WITHIN THE RECESSES.

A. D. ROSS Jan. 12, 1971 SEATING CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed Sept. 26, 1968 Arm/Mn.

United States Patent US. Cl. -345 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A seating construction wherein a pair of cushion members are disposed in facing relation, at least one such member having a plurality of recesses formed in its facing surface, and impermeable skins in conforming engagement with the facing surfaces of the cushion members and adhesively secured together, so that sealed chambers are defined within the recesses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While foam seating is well-known, there have heretofore been technical and economical problems in the production of foam seating of open cell material having a desired level of buoyancy and resilience. For example, open cell foam, while inherently resilient, rapidly loses its buoyancy upon submergence in liquid, in the manner of a sponge. Further, desirable economy attempted by the formation of hollow foam cushions resulted in undue loss of resiliency.

SUMMARY Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a seating construction of open cell foam material which aflfords a high degree of permanent buoyancy, has a safety factor under certain conditions of use, and wherein substantial economies can be effected in material by the provision of internal hollows while maintaining the desired resiliency and buoyancy.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a seating construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which can be economically manufactured by methods according to the teachings of the instant invention.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, and combinations and arrangements of parts and method steps, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a seating construction of the present invention, broken away to illustrate interior structure thereof.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view showing a mold or form for the molding of a sheet covering or skin of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the formation of a skin on the mold.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view showing the covering or skin of FIG. 2 removed from the mold and inverted, in a later stage of the instant method.

. FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating a still later stage in the instant method.

FIG. 6 is a partial bottom plan view, taken generally along the line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing in greater detail a completed seating construction of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevational view similar to FIG. 5, but illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the instant method.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, as specifically to FIG. 2 thereof, a mold is there generally designated 10, and may be of any suitably rigid body, say of generally rectangular overall formation, including a pair of opposite faces 11 and 12, and a peripheral edge surface 13. The opposite faces 11 and 12 may be generally parallel, as in the illustrated embodiment, and one of these faces, say face 12, may be formed with a plurality of concave formations or recesses 14. The recesses 14 may assume a regular spaced configuration, as desired, The mold 10 may be formed of any suitable material, such as plaster, wood, metal or plastic.

In FIG. 3, there is illustrated in covering relation with the mold 10 a skin 15 of suitable flexible sheet material. The skin 15 may be of suitable elastomer, rubber or other satisfactory material, and may, in practice, be sprayed, brushed, poured or otherwise applied to the face 12 and peripheral side 13 of the mold 10. Thus, the covering or skin 15 includes a sheet portion 16 which conformably engages with the mold face 12, having a plurality of depressed portions 17 respectively in conforming engagement within the recesses 14. Extending preferably integrally from the sheet portion 16 of skin 15 in conforming engagement with the peripheral side surface 13 of the mold 10 is a side sheet portion 18.

Thus the skin 15 formed on the mold 10 is generally of an overall concave configuration, while the skin portions 17 are internally raised to define external recesses. After formation of the skin or covering 15, it is removed from the mold 10 and inverted as shown in FIG. 4. In this condition, the skin 15 opens upwardly and may rest on a suitable supporting surface, as shown, or be disposed in a complementary female receiver, if desired. At this time the interior of the skin 15 is conformably filled with suitable cushioning material, such as resilient open cell foam, see FIG. 5, defining a body 20. The foam body is advantageously poured into place in the skin 15, and may be of any suitable open cell foam material, such as urethane, vinyl or other. The foam body 20 expands andcures within the skin 15, assuming the internal configuration of the latter, and being adhesively secured thereto to form a unitary structure with the skin. As best seen in FIG. 6, the face or skin portion 16 of the composite structure 15, 20 is formed with a plurality of external recesses 17. The skin 15 is advantageously impermeable to air or gas, and may have a degree of resilience, if desired.

A pair of composite structures 15, 20 are shown in assembled condition in FIGS. 1 and 7. It will there be ob served that the composite structures 15, 20 are arranged with their skin portions 16 in facing relation, so that the recessed skin portions 17 of the pair of skins 15 are in substantial alignment with each other. Thus, the hollows of aligned or facing recesses 17 are in fluid communication with each other. Further, the adjacent faces of the skin portions 16 are adhesively secured together, by any suitable securement such as an adhesive 21 interposed between the facing skin portions. If desired, suitable solvent, heat sealing or other securing means may be employed to adhesively secure the facing skin portions 12 in the desired relationship.

As the skins 15 are impermeable to gas, and the adhesive means 21 provides a hermetic seal between the secured skin portions 16, it will be appreciated that each communicating pair of recesses 17 combines to define a hermetically sealed chamber, designated 22, in spaced relation interiorly within the pair of composite structures 15, 20.

By this arrangement, the overall seating construction shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, there generally designated 25, is admirably well suited to provide the desired resiliency and buoyancy. The hermetically sealed internal chambers 22 not only alford positive buoyancy even under submerged conditions, but enhance the resiliency of the foam bodies 20, and the location, arrangement, size and configuration of the chambers 22 may be predetermined to achieve the desired resiliency and buoyancy.

A slightly modified embodiment is shown in FIG. 8, wherein a skin is generally designated 15a, and is of an overall concave configuration, being formed of an impermeable flexible sheet material as in the first embodiment. The skin 15a may include a face portion 16a similar to that of the first described embodiment, having internally raised regions 17a defining external recesses, and provided with an integral, peripherally extending side wall 1811, all substantially identical to that of the first described embodiment. In addition, a generally flat sheet region 23 may extend across the peripheral side wall 18a in generally spaced relation with the wall 16a. Thus, the skin wall 23 effectively closes the skin 15a, and a fill opening 24 may be provided in the skin wall 23 for introducing foam 20a. In this embodiment, a pair of units 15a, 20a may be adhesively secured together with their skin region 1611 in facing relation and their respective recesses 17a in fluid communication, as described hereinbefore. This will afford a seating structure having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in connection With the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7. In addition, the skin region 23 provides an exterior covering on the cushion unit, so that no additional cushion covering material is necessary.

Of course, in the first described embodiment the outer face 11 may be other than flat, say contoured to fit the person of a user or otherwise curved as desired. Similarly, the outer face and covering skin 23 of FIG. 8 may be suitably curved.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a seating structure and method of manufacture which fully accomplish their intended objects and are well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A buoyant resilient seat construction comprising a pair of cushion members of molded resiliently compressible open cell foam material disposed in facing relation, at least one of said cushion members having a plurality of recesses formed in its facing surface, an impermeable skin of flexible resilient sheet material secured in conforming engagement with the facing surface of each cushion member, said skins being in facing engagement with each other to define therebetween closed chambers within said recesses, and adhesive means hermetically securing said skins together, whereby said chambers provide additional pneumatic resilience and buoyancy.

2. A buoyant resilient seat construction according to claim 1, said cushion members each being formed with a plurality of recesses in its facing surface located in fluid communication with respective recesses of the other cushion member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,821,244 1/1958 Beck 5348X 3,l33'853 5/1964 Knox S-361X 3,145,020 3/1964 Calla 5-361X CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 5348, 355 

